Avatar Meher Baba Perpetual Public Charitable Trust King’S Road, Post Bag No

Telephone No.2343666/2347093 Ahmednagar. AVATAR MEHER BABA PERPETUAL PUBLIC CHARITABLE TRUST KING’S ROAD, POST BAG NO. 31, AHMEDNAGAR, (M.S.) 414 001. CHAIRMAN SHRIDHAR G. KELKAR 16 th Oct. 2017 Dear Sisters and Brothers in Beloved Avatar Meher Baba, The forty-ninth Amartithi of Beloved Avatar Meher Baba falls on Wednesday, 31 st January, 2018. For this sacred occasion it is expected that pilgrims from all over India and around the world will be visiting the Tomb-Shrine of Avatar Meher Baba at Meherabad Hill, Ahmednagar (M.S.) India to take part in the, Educational Gathering. The observance of the forty-ninth Amartithi (Anniversary of Avatar Meher Baba’s Darshan) will be for two days, i.e. 30th January morning to noon of 1st February, 2018. The main function, as usual, will be on 31 st January 2018. Observation of Silence from 12 noon to 12:15 pm on 31 st January at Beloved Avatar Meher Baba’s Samadhi is the most significant event during Amartithi Days. It has been observed that some pilgrims, who may be new to Beloved Baba, are not aware of this and instead visit different places at Meherabad during this time. It is therefore important that all Centres impress upon Baba lovers the importance of this programme so that they will be in attendance at the Samadhi during the observance of silence. By Beloved Baba’s grace, it will be made possible for pilgrims visiting the Tomb-Shrine of Beloved Avatar Meher Baba, for the forty-ninth Amartithi, to stay at the Meherabad Estate from 6:00 a.m. of 30 th January to 12 noon of 1 st February, 2018. ATTENTION Darshan of Beloved Avatar Meher Baba will be available inside the Tomb Shrine through a regulated queue designated specifically for this occasion. However, due to the influx of pilgrims during Amartithi, it is requested for the benefit of all pilgrims to take the least time possible for Darshan and to take Darshan only once on 31st January, 2018. QUEUE TOKEN SYSTEM During Amartithi, from 6 am on 30th January until 12 noon on 1st February 2018, a wooden railing will be placed in front of the sacred marble. Instead of bowing down, pilgrims may enter the Samadhi and take Darshan by reaching over the railing and touching the marble . We are continuing our Queue Token System. After collecting a single token with a number on it, each Pilgrim will be free to move about until the number on his/her token number is announced and displayed on the signboards. THE PILGRIMS SHOULD JOIN THE QUEUE WHEN THEIR NUMBER IS DISPLAYED. Please be alert because if your number has passed through the Darshan line and the next higher number has also passed, you will miss your turn and will require a new token. Because of the changed arrangement for Darshan the token numbers will change much faster . Pilgrim should be extra alert to avoid missing the number and losing their turn for Darshan. A. REGARDING ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: Please note: 1. Pilgrims should not arrive at Meherabad before 6:00 a.m., on 30 th January, 2018, and should leave Meherabad around 12 noon, on 1 st February, 2018. 2. There will be stalls selling light refreshment and meals at Lower Meherabad, New Site, Pilgrim Education Site and Upper Meherabad till early afternoon on 1 st February, 2018. 3. There will be separate lodging arrangements for men and for women at Meherabad as usual. Pilgrims are reminded that they should continue to abide by Beloved Baba’s wishes, as expressed by Him in the 1958 Sahavas, that men and women pilgrims should stay in their own quarters and not visit, enter, or rest in each other's quarters. Pilgrims should lovingly cooperate with the Management in this matter and the Management reserves the right to caution any pilgrim who fails to abide by Beloved Baba’s wishes as mentioned above. 4. Pilgrims are requested to bring warm clothes, blankets, bedding with mattress, and flashlights (torch). The quarters for men and women are separate; so to avoid confusion it is advised that men and women of the same family pack separate bags, and bundle their bedding rolls separately BEFORE their arrival at Meherabad. 5. Meherabad Management requests all the pilgrims to use water very sparingly. Hot water for bathing will be provided from 11:00 p.m., 30 th January to 7:00 a.m., 31 st January. 6. Pilgrims in the close vicinity of the Samadhi are requested to do their utmost to maintain the sanctity of the Tomb-Shrine. B. REGARDING LODGING ARRANGEMENTS: Please note: 1. In order to make it easier for pilgrims who wish to be accommodated at Meherabad for the Educational Gathering, the Trust will receive such requests directly. 2. Pilgrims who wish to be accommodated at Meherabad for the Educational Gathering must send an amount of Rs. 50/- per person for lodging arrangements directly to the Trust. Children above 7 years will be charged for lodging while those below 7 years will be accommodated free. Children above 7 years who do not have token,will not be allowed to enter in Tent/Hostel. 3. Such amounts are called “AMARTITHI DONATIONS,” and they must be sent to the Trust as follows: AMARTITHI DONATIONS Avatar Meher Baba P. P. C. Trust King’s Road, Post Bag No.31, Ahmednagar, M. S. 414 001. Please DO NOT forward Amartithi Donations to the Meherabad Office. 1. Nowadays, the post office send the money order electronically and hence the message portion that mentions number of men and women(including children above 7 years) is not received by us. So, please include this information in the sender’s name on the money order form like— Sender’s Name—X X X X (----Men + ----Women) Address ------------ Mobile No. ------------ Also send a separate post card giving the details of money order and number of men and women and also your mobile nos. This will help us to correctly register the number of men and women and also send mobile SMS confirming registration. 1. Pilgrims will be accommodated at Meherabad during Amartithi days only if the words “AMARTITHI DONATIONS” are mentioned on the Money Order Coupons. 2. A Bank Draft (D.D.) to A.M.B.P.P.C.T. can be accepted provided a separate letter is sent along with it, clearly giving the details of the number of men, women and children and the letter must mention the purpose as “AMARTITHI DONATIONS”. The sender should also provide his Mobile No. IMPORTANT These lodging requests have to be earmarked as “AMARTITHI DONATIONS”, otherwise such amounts will be considered as donations to the Trust and the sender will NOT have lodging accommodations at Meherabad. Please note that the Trust will not post separate receipts to pilgrims for the special Amartithi Donations received through Money Orders. Instead, Money Order Acknowledgements will be sent which will bear the serial numbers of Entry Tokens. Pilgrims must bring these M.O. Acknowledgements with them when they come. However, money received through Demand Draft will be acknowledged by the Trust through a Receipt, bearing the Entry Token serial numbers. 3. Pilgrims are requested to be very particular to give their full names, addresses and Mobile Number in BLOCK LETTERS on the Money Order Forms. They must also REMEMBER to bring to Meherabad the Money Order Acknowledgement Receipt or M.O. receipt if our acknowledgement is not received or the receipt from the Trust giving the serial number of their Entry Tokens. This will entitle them to receive ENTRY TOKENS for their lodging from the Trust at the Enquiry Office or Sub-Enquiry Office upon their arrival at Meherabad on 30 th January, 2018. 4. AMARTITHI DONATIONS must not be sent later than 7 th January, 2018; as these late requests cause much inconvenience to the Meherabad Management and to the pilgrims themselves. 5. The Trust will have a separate cell (Amartithi Donations account) for Amartithi Arrangements. This cell will receive the above mentioned donations. Please note that the donation of Rs. 50/- per person does not meet the entire expenditure for the lodging arrangements for a pilgrim such as preparation of grounds, erecting temporary shelters, tarpaulins, water, electricity and several other expenses. In addition to this, the Trust provides facilities for the Gathering at Upper Meherabad. Therefore, the Trust always subsidizes the balance of the lodging expenditure. The pilgrims pay Rs.50/- per person only as a token amount and not for all the facilities provided. Please note that those who register at the Enquiry Office on the 30 th or 31 st , and not before, will have to pay Rs. 50/- extra towards Amartithi Donations. (Total Rs. 100/-) 6. KITCHEN FACILITY: Groups of pilgrims who wish to cook their own food will be accommodated and provided kitchen facility at NEW SITE. This New Site is at Upper Meherabad not too far from the Samadhi. Therefore, groups who wish to cook their own food in the kitchens must inform Trustee Shri Jal P. Dastoor, c/o Avatar Meher Baba P.P.C. Trust, King’s Road, Post Bag No.31, Ahmednagar (M.S.) 414 001 through letters which Jal must receive by the last week of December 2016. Also, when these kitchen-groups of pilgrims send their money to the Trust (and not to Jal Dastoor) for their lodging, they must make special mention that they wish to lodge at the New Site . Special Entry Tokens will be prepared for such pilgrims, and upon their arrival at Meherabad they will have to collect Special Entry Tokens and Kitchen Number only from the Sub-Enquiry Office at the New Site.

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